River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-05-19

burned before a pictured holy family,
and its flame threw uncanny rcflec-
tions upon row of cleaning ashen-
white skulls ranged below. Pass
ing through this species of atrium
the young men, sobered by their sur
/ rOundings, entered the city of the dead.
The graves lay thick as grass-blades,
literally OVERLAPPING, and almost with
ont exception facing westward.
No shrubs, no flowers, or trees en-
livened the scene; only the debris of
dried bouquets from the annual dec
Grafton on All Souls Day. which had
fallen a fortnight previous. and here
and there a harsh, glaring wreath Of
yellow and black immortelles. Some
of the monuments were stately and
handsome. but the majority were flat,
/ lOw-lying stones. carved with no par
I ticular skill or tatse. and often with
I defective photography. Some of the
/ humber sorts were built of masonry.
and painted in crudest, widest tones
/ of blue or green, picked out with
/ weather-tarnished gliding. A fair pro-
I portion of the monuments bore the
I letters I'D. T." which indicates the
[ right Of the tenants to slumber there
undisturbed in perpetuity, instead Of
suffering eXhumatiOn like the less
favored. whose moldering bones, at
the end of four of five years would be
unearthed and thrown into the common
receptacle of the huesario.
So depressing was the place that the
visitors. As with one accord, and an
instinct of self-defense, lighted fresh
cigarets. and pulled vigorously. until
they created cloud of fragrant blue
smoke TO mingle with the mirky atmos-
phere. They picked their way with
what reverence of tread they NJ ght to
a section of the northern wall, where
the plaster was crumbling away from
the brown adobes. while here and there
in the SCARED eNpanse were tablets
bearing. beside name and date, the
legend, .'slain by the savages." in
mOurnful suggestion Of the days, not
50 long gone by, when the Indians had
been wont to swOOp in fierce raids into
the city'S very streets.
Then Nuncz. still acting as spokes-
man. turned to Pope.
WILT thou come here ut midnight
and drive a nail into this wall?''
Il will 10 it. answered Pepe, ''but
with reluctance, as YOU know
Then, after the inevitable chatter
and chat, the crowd lounged home
ward.
II was perhaps 10 o'clock when they
reassembled at Pablo Nunez's office,
decming it indiscreet 70 start such I'M
dertaking from the salon de billar. or
any more public point. Pope looked
little pale and eerie. but nevertheless
came calamity forward. At the last.
Clcmcnte Allande, Pcpe's bosom friend,
tried 70 dissuade him from the enter
prise.
- It's rash and useless thing. hom-
bre. Give it up. If aught were to be
gained by the going. vaya, But to
CRAFTY the jealous malice of an envious
soul ike Pablo, why shouldst thou risk
thy life? For at night the calculations
from the graves are more than ever
nOxiOus, and thou mayest get typhus or
heaven knows what from breathing
them
The plea was potent with Pope. who
had all the usual horror which Mexicans
feel for the air of night, never stirring
abroad after dusk without muiiling his
mouth and n0StFils in the folds of
silken handkerchief. through which he
breathed. But cannot recede now
he said; ..cease to dissuade me.
CIemente. Ii may be that the example
may be salutary. Seeing that | under
take, for the sake of reason and
courage, q thing / dislike and fear, the
boys may perhaps be impelled to act
with less absolute obedience to their
own preferences.
We Mexicans of the younger genera
ton are selfish lot. Give me the
hammer he added. turning back to
the others. as he threw the point of
his cloak over his shoulder. This
wrap OF Pepc's was one of his whims-
an atIectatiOn, said the malicious. But
il was not that. The intense patriotism
of the Young fellow made him cling to
the long Spanish cape of his fore
fathers-surely the most graceful gar
nent 4 IN, can wear-whiie his com
radcs disportei themselves in over
coats or listers OF the latest French or
English cut.
Throwing then over his shoulder one
long end Of bis cape. and tucking
under is dropping folds the hammer
and the big clumsy spike, Pepc stepped |
away in the darkness up the gloomy /
street between the low houses, whose |
dark. foIbidding facades gave no prom |
isc Of the kindly hospitality to be
found within.
lie Is gone" said Clemente |
Allande. re-enteriug the house. Il
saw him turn the corner of The
Green Devil
You should not have watched him |
out Of sight. said one of the young
men: ..that brings evil fortune"
Now. croak. you.' snapped Gle
mente. viciously. in the stress of his !
nervous fore-boding. and went out TO
stand alone in the chilled patio. more
and more deploring Pope's undertake
ing. And | might have prevented it. !
If | had not been fool, he muttered
what were easier than to have sent a
hint 20 the Jefatura, and the Project
would have 50 moved that the guard of
the graveyard would have missed his
stolen key. and watch would have been
kept. Better that Pepe should pay 4
multa. or even take turn in the lock-
up. rather than get diphtheria or typhus.
in the miasmas among the graves!
Then the others came Outlaughing, and
dragged him into the card-table. where
still be would not play, but SIT glover
ing at the game.
An hour went by. another half. two
hours. and Allande could bear it no
I longer. hut sprang to his feet with an
oath of disturbance.
1.-Two hours and Pepe not here. Some
/ evil has assaulted him, We must so to
I his relief
And find him snUgly in bed,
sneered Pablo Nunez: The has been
home an hour. or-quien sabc?-per-
/ haps he was not 80 scrupulous a to go
/ to the graveyard 1t all.''
1t docs not particularly become yon,
/ Nunez. To snccr and throw aspersiOns
on Pepe's courage. when il IS at your
1 instigation he has gone into this absurd
and useless adventure 1t might be
[ interesting TO seek cause for your
rique against him..
..One need not 60 far for that,